Chiropractic table



Dec. 23, 1.941.

H. L. THOMPSON CHIROPRACTIC TABLE Filed Oct. 17; 1940 4 She ets-Sheet 1 f I INVENTOR.

l iiifff A ZIQO/VPJO/V ATTORNEY.

De. 23, 1941. H. L: THOMPSON I 2,267,054

CHIROPRACTIC TABLE Fi'led Oct. 17, 1940 4 She'ts-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 23, 1941. H. THOMPSON I CHIROPRACTIC TABLE Filed Oct.' 17; 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 mi v: m WW y Li q Z H;

' H6. 5. 'BY

Dec. 23, 1941 o so 2,267,054

CHIROPRACTIC TABLE Filed Oct. 17, 1940 4. Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

fiseiser L K ra/vase Patented Dec. 23, 1941 CHIROPRACTIC TABLE Herbert L. Thompson, Elgin, Ill., assignor to Williams Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Illinois Application October 17, 1940, Serial No. 361,555

14 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in operating or chiropractic tables and like devices.

My invention relates more particularly to improvements in the construction of chiropractic tables and has for a purpose the provision of an improved operating mechanism for raising and lowering the various cushions of the table to a desired position so that a patient thereon can be given a chiropractic treatment.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved manual means capable of easy and simple operation to raise or lower the different cushions of a chiropractic table and in the same operation advance or move the cushion back.

A further object is to provide such means having in connection therewith 'a' hand operated screw member that can be manipulated from either side of the table.

A further object is to provide such means capable of operation while a patient is on the table.

A further object is to provide such means capable of operation from either side of the table.

'A further object of my invention is to provide an improved connection between the hand operated screw and the cushion portion whereby the weight of the same is supported adjacent the screw.

A further object is to provide improved carriage means and lever operated means having a moving fulcrum associated with the screw mechanism capable of supporting the cushion and providing an easy operating mechanism for raising the cushion about a pivot and at the same time moving the cushion forward a desired distance.

A further object is'to provide an improved construction of raising and lowering mechanism for a cushion member which employs a double pivot mechanism for moving the cushion member forward or back during the raising or lowering operation. i

A further object is to provide adjustment means on the cushion member so it may be moved 'back or forth manually in relation to the raising and lowering mechanism.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following description wherein reference is had to the accompanying four sheets of drawings, upon which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a chiropractic operating table illustrating one embodiment of the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the same showing the lower body supporting cushion in a raised and forward position;

Fig. 3 is a generally similar view with parts broken away and in section to more clearly show other parts, with the lower body supporting cushion in a lowered and retarded position;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken generally on the lines 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic viewshowing the lever and associated mechanism for'moving the cushion back and forth while the same is being raised or lowered; V

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the cushion member;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the raising screw housing and associated parts;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the same with the support rods shown in section and is taken generally on the line 88 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9is a fragmentary elevational view of the upper end of the cushionmoving mechanism;

Fig. 10is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the'pivotal connection between the cushion raising mechanism and the bracket connected to the same; and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan View of the tracks connected to the bottom of the cushion, the J bracket andthe rollers which ride upon the same.

The improvement to which this invention relates may be adapted in any of the chiropractic adjustment tables known in the art and may be similar to the type referred to in'United-States permit the longitudinal adjustment and regulation of the various supporting cushions and their control means. The table may include a pair of head cushions l6, a chest cushion l8 and an abdominal cushion 20. This group of support members may be mounted upon the bracket or frame member 22 supported as shown from the rail sections l4.

A leg or lower body support member 24 is provided mounted upon a bracket 26 pivotally mounted at one end upon a cross shaft 28 that .in' the ends of the rail sections I4. I also provide a calf or ankle rest 36 mounted for adjustment in suitable brackets 38 which are also supported on the railportions M. The entire supporting bed section consisting of the head, chest, abdominal and leg cushions, is resiliently supported in a well known manner by suitable major spring members 40 which co-operate with the manual effort to raise or lower the table.

A specific assembly A which may form part of this invention, is the means for raising or lowering one end of the pivotally mounted leg support member 24. The member 24 is provided with a pair of parallel spaced rail members 42 mounted at the back and forward end thereof on suitable posts 44 that are fastened to the underneath side of the cushion. A bracket 46 which is mounted on the cross rod 28 is provided at its outer end with upper and lower rollers 9 mounted between the vertical walls 46a of the bracket and outer plate members I I. These rollers receive the rails 42 between them so that the cushion can be slid back or forth on the same. The wall 46a of the bracket is formed with a downwardly depending portion 41 that carries a bolt member 48. A bracket 49 formed with an ear portion 45 is secured on the bolt 48 and may pivot; about the same. The bracket 49 may be formed with an elongated bearing portion 59 to support a pivot pin The pin 5| has a pair of support rods 52 rigidly connected thereto upon opposite ends thereof. The support rods 52 may extend downwardly and be pivotally mounted upon pins 53 fastened in carriages 54 and 55.

The carriages are provided with stub shafts 56 upon which pairs of rollers 58 are mounted upon opposite sides of the carriage. The carriages 54 and 55 are formed with the slot 59 to permit entrance of the support rods 52 and are also formed with a tapped longitudinal opening to receive a screw member 62. The screw member 62 is formed with threaded portions throughout practically its entire length and has a left-hand thread portion 64 and a right-hand thread portion 66. The screw member has its ends extended through the slots 61 and 68 in the screw housing I0 fastened to the extended ends. Due to the fact that the screw member is supported in the carriages 54 and 55, which in turn are supported by the rollers 58 upon the side Walls of the housing, the screw member extends through the openings 61 and 68 with clearance and no bearings are necessary at these points. To prevent unauthorized removal of the screw member, I fasten cotter pins I4 across the top of the same in the end portions of the screw housing.

The screw housing I0 is provided with a pair of ledge portions I6 through which the U-bolts I8 may be extended to fasten the same upon the rail sections I4. To support the forward end of the cushion member24 in its lowermost position, I provide an upstanding ledge portion 8| formed integral with the housing I0.

With the above mechanism it can be seen that when it is desired to raise or lower the forward end of the leg support cushion 24, a turning of the screw member 62 by the manipulation of either handle I2 will either raise or lower the cushion as desired. It will be. apparent that a comparatively heavy weight can easily be raised or lowered and held in the desired position by the screw member. Due to the fact that the carriages 54 and 55 will roll upon the rail portions of the screw housing, the entire apparatus is comparatively free from friction.

In order to provide means for bringing the cushion forward as the same is being raised, or for moving the cushion back as the same is being lowered, I have provided a pair of pivotally mounted levers 80 having a pivot pin 82 mounted in bearing members 84 cast integral with the side of the screw housing I0. The levers 80 may extend upwardly and be connected at their upper end to parallel arms 86 of a bracket 88 which carries a pin 90 at its upper end. The lower end of the bracket 88 may be pivotally connected to the arms 80 by means of bolt members 92. A coiled spring 94 is provided about one of the bolt members 92 fastened between the bolt 92 and the arm 86, in such manner that there is a yielding pressure tending to turn the same in a clockwise direction. The pin is provided for the purpose of engaging in a tooth or a rack 96 which is secured medially to the bottom of the cushion 24 parallel to the rails 42, 1

Thus, in normal operation, with the pin 90 engaging in one of the teeth of the rack 96, the cushion is held in fixed position with the rails 42 riding upon the rollers 9 carried by the bracket 46. In order, however, to provide a movement of the cushion backward or forward as the bracket 46 is being raised, I provide the roller 98 mounted upon a suitable shaft I00 that is journalled in the arms 80. The roller 98 is adapted in operation to bear against an arcuately shaped plate I02 which forms a part of the bracket 46. Thus, for example, by examining Figs. 2 and 3, it can be seen that as the handles I2 are turned to raise or lower the front end of bracket 46, the roller 98 will be rolling forward over the arcuate plate member I02, and by reason of the coiled spring 94, the brasket 88 will be swung clockwise moving the cushion 24 inrelation to theposition of the roller 98 upon the curved plate I02.

In the event that it is desired to set the cushion preliminary to use forward or back upon the rails 42, the same may be done by disengaging the rod 90 from the teeth of the rack 96. This is done by means of a rod I06 which has an arm I08 pinned thereto. The arm I08 has a rod I-I0 connected at the end of the same, the other end of the rod IIO being pivotally connected to the bracket 88 in such manner that by counter-clockwise rotation of the rod I06 by means of the handle members I I2, the pin 90 is disengaged from the rack 96 and the cushion may be manually moved forward or back upon the rollers 9.

From the above and foregoing description it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have provided a means for use in conjunction with raising or lowering mechanism, of a chiropractic table cushion, which moves the cushion forward or back at the same time that the end of the cushion is being raised or lowered about its pivot. I have found this movement highly desirable for use particularly onchiropractic tables and similar devices. I desire it to be understood, however, that the invention herein disclosed is clearly not limited to its use in connection with a chiropractic table.

What I desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a chiropractic table of the class wherein a rigid frame supports a plurality of adjustable cushions, the combination with one of said cushions having rails and a rack therebeneath of a pivotally mounted bracket, rollers on said bracket engaging said rails and means for raising or lowering theforward end of said cushion and simultaneously moving the entire cushion forward or back, said means including manually operable means connected to the forward end of said bracket and a pivotally mounted lever connected to said rack,

2. In an operating table of the class wherein a rigid frame supports a plurality of cushion members mounted thereon for supporting the various parts of the body, the combination with one of said cushion members pivotally supported at one end of means for raising or lowering the opposite end and simultaneously moving it forward or back, said cushion member having a rack therebeneath and slidable in its pivotal support, said means including a screw housing secured to said frame below said cushion member, said housing having parallel rails thereon, a screw positioned in said housing having right and left hand thread portions, a pair of wheeled carriages threaded on said screw at opposite ends thereof with said wheels engaging said rails, a rod extending from each carriage to said cushion member, a pivot on the side of said housing, a

lever connected thereto, an arm connected to said lever engaging the rack at its opposite end, said lever having a movable fulcrum between its ends.

3. In a chiropractic table of the class wherein a rigid frame supports a cushion member pivotally mounted thereon adjacent one end of said cushion of means for raising or lowering the opposite end of said cushion, said means including a bracket associated with said cushion, rollers on said bracket, a pair of rails on the under side of said cushion member which said rollers engage, a rack on the under side of said cushion member, screw means for raising and lowering the forward end of said bracket and a lever engaging said rack adapted to move the cushion forward as the forward end is raised and back as the cushion is lowered.

4. In a chiropractic table of the class described wherein a rigid frame supports a plurality of pivotally mounted adjustable cushions, the combination with one of said pivotally mounted cushions of a pair of rails disposed on the underside thereof, a rack medially of said rails, a pivoted bracket having sets of rollers engaging said rails, a hand-operated screw member connected to the forward end of said bracket for raising or lowering the end thereof and a pivotally mounted lever, a bracket at its opposite end, a pin on said bracket adapted to engage one of the teeth of said rack, a roller on said lever and a cam surface which said roller engages as the forward end of said cushion is raised or lowered to move the cushion forward or back upon its rails.

5. In a chiropractic table of the class described wherein a rigid frame supports a plurality of pivotally mounted adjustable cushions, the combination with one of said pivotally mounted cushions of a pair of rails disposed on the underside thereof, a rack medially of said rails, a pivoted bracket having sets of rollers engaging said rails, a hand-operated screw member connected to the forward end of said bracket for raising or lowering the end thereof and a pivotally mounted lever, a bracket at its opposite end, a pin on said bracket adapted to engage one of the teeth of said rack, a roller on said lever and a cam surface which said roller engages as the forward end of said cushion is raised or lowered to move the cushion forward or back upon its rails, and means associated with said lever for permitting adjustment of said cushion on said lever.

6. In a chiropractic table of the class described wherein a rigid frame supports a plurality of pivotally mounted adjustable cushions, the combination with one of said pivotally mounted cushions of a pair of rails disposed on the underside thereof, a bracket having sets of rollers engaging said rails, a hand-operated screw member connected to the forward end of said bracket for raising or lowering the end thereof and a pivotally mounted lever, a bracket at its opposite end pivotally connected to said cushion, a roller on said lever and a cam surface which said roller engages as the forward end of said cushion is raised or lowered to move the cushion forward or back upon its rails.

7. In a chiropractic table of the class described wherein a rigid frame supports a plurality of pivotally mounted adjustable cushions, the combination with one of said pivotally mounted cushions of a pair of rails disposed on the underside thereof, a bracket having sets of rollers engaging said rails, a hand-operated screw member connected to the forward end of said bracket for raising or lowering the end thereof and a pivotally mounted lever, a bracket at its opposite end pivotally connected to said cushion, a roller on said lever and a cam surface which said roller engages as the forward end of said cushion is raised or lowered to move the cushion forward or back upon its rails, and means associated with said lever for permitting adjustment of said cushion on said lever.

8. Apparatus for raising or lowering a cushion and simultaneously moving the same forward or back, said mechanism including a pair of rails secured to the lower side of said cushion, a rack therebetween, a pivotally mounted bracket having rollers at its end removed from the pivot, said rollers adapted to engage said rails, means for swinging the forward end of said bracket about its pivot and other means associated with said rack for simultaneously moving said cushion forward or back upon said bracket during the movement of the bracket.

9. Apparatus for raising or lowering a cushion and simultaneously moving the same forward or back, said mechanism including a pair of rails secured to the lower side of said cushion, a pivotally mounted bracket having rollers at its end removed from the pivot, said rollers adapted to engage said rails, means for swinging the forward end of said bracket about its pivot and other means pivotally connected to said cushion for simultaneously moving said cushion forward or back upon said bracket during the movement of the bracket.

10. Apparatus for raising or lowering a cushion and simultaneously moving the same forward or back, said mechanism including a pair of rails secured to the lower side of said cushion, a pivotally mounted bracket having rollers at its end removed from the pivot, said rollers adapted to engage said rails, means for swinging the for-v ward end of said bracket about its pivot and other means pivotally connected to said cushion for simultaneously moving said cushion forward or back upon said bracket during the movement of the bracket, said means including a pair of pivotally mounted levers connected together and connected to said cushion, and a movable fulcrum intermediate the ends of one of said levers.

11. In a chiropractic table of the class wherein a rigid frame supports a plurality of pivotally mounted support brackets, cushions thereon, the combination with one of said pivotally mounted support brackets of means for raising or lowering the forward end of the cushion thereon and simultaneously moving the entire cushion forward or back, said means including a rack beneath said cushion, a sliding connection with said pivotally mounted support bracket, means connected to the support bracket for raising or lowering one end of the same and a pivotally mounted lever having means at; its opposite end engaging said rack.

12. In a chiropractic table of the class wherein a rigid frame supports a plurality of pivotally mounted support brackets, cushions thereon, the combination with one of said pivotally-mounted support brackets of means for raising or lowering the forward end of the cushion thereon and simultaneously moving the entire cushion forward or back, said means including a rack beneath said cushion, a sliding connection with said pivotally mounted support bracket, means connected to the support bracket for raising or lowering one end of the same and a pivotally mounted lever having means at its opposite end engaging said rack, said pivotally mounted lever having a movable fulcrum between its ends.

13. In a chiropractic table of the class wherein a rigid frame supports a plurality of pivotally mounted support brackets, cushions thereon, the combination with one of said pivotally mounted support brackets of means for raising or lowering the forward end of the cushion thereon and simultaneously moving the entire cushion forward or back, said means including a rack beneath said cushion, a sliding connection with said pivotally mounted support bracket, means connected to the support bracket for raising or lowering one end of the same, a pivotally mounted lever, an arm connected to the end opposite its pivot engaging said rack, said pivotally mounted lever having a movable fulcrum between its ends, said fulcrum including a roller on said lever and a cam surface on said cushion support against which said roller bears.

14. In an operating table of the class wherein a rigid frame supports a plurality of cushion members mounted thereon for supporting the various parts of they body, the, combination with one of said cushion members pivotally supported at one end of means for raising or lowering the opposite end and simultaneously moving it forward or back, said cushion member having a rack therebeneath and slidable in its pivotal support, said means including a screw housing secured to said frame below said cushion member, said housing having parallel rails thereon, a screw positioned in said housing having right and left hand thread portions, a pair of wheeled carriages threaded on said screw at opposite ends thereof with said wheels engaging said rails, a rod extending from each carriage to said cushion member, and handles on the opposite ends of said screw for turning the same.

HERBERT L. THOMPSON. 

